The present invention relates generally to the field of adjustable seating. More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of adjustable seating configured to facilitate access to the interior of the vehicle in which the seating is located and to enhance the storage capabilities of the vehicle.
Many vehicles include at least two rows of seats. Often, these vehicles include a significant amount of cargo space behind the second row of seats. In some vehicles, such as CUVs, SUVs and minivans, a storage/cargo area or a third row of seats may be located behind the second row of seats. In order to access this cargo area, many vehicles provide a rear liftgate that allows a person to access the cargo area from the back of the vehicle. However, for people wanting to get to the third row of seats, the rear liftgate generally does not provide a convenient means to access those seats. Moreover, access to the third row of seats or cargo space may not be convenient from the rear doors of the vehicle. Essentially, the second row of seats becomes an obstacle to the cargo space or to the third row of seats.
To overcome this obstacle and facilitate entry to the rear cargo space or to the third row of seats, or to expand the cargo space, second row seats are provided in a variety of different configurations. For example, some seats are configured so that the seat back folds down on top of the seat cushion. Although this configuration allows cargo to be placed on top of the folded down seatback, it generally does not provide convenient access to a third row of seats because such a seat requires the occupant to climb over the folded down seat, which may be burdensome in many cases. Other seats are configured such that the seatback folds down over the seat cushion, and then the rear of the folded unit is rotated upward so that the seat cushion and seatback are in a generally vertical position proximate the back of the seat in front of the folded seat. While such a seat allows an occupant to more easily access the third row of seats, moving the seat from the seating position to the folded or storage position can be burdensome due to the fact that one must lift the weight of the seat to rotate it to the folded or vertical position. Moreover, because the seat back and seat cushion of such a seat are stored behind the front seat, the seat continues to intrude into the ingress/egress area behind the front seat (although not as much as before the seat was folded forward).
Other seats are configured so that the seat cushion folds forward and then the seatback folds down into the area the seat cushion occupied before it was folded forward. Although the height of the upper surface of the seatback is lower than it otherwise would be if the seat cushion were not folded forward, it is still elevated above the vehicle floor and serves as an obstacle that makes access to the third row of seats inconvenient.
Still other seats are configured so that the seat cushion can be rotated around the forward portion of the seat cushion into a generally vertical position proximate the back of the seat in front, and the seat back moved forward and upward (either at the same time the seat cushion is rotated forward, or after the seat cushion has been rotated forward) in a generally arc-like path until it rests proximate the seat cushion in a generally upright position. Although this configuration reduces the obstacles an occupant must climb over to reach the third row of seats, it still requires the occupant to lift the seatback while it is translated into the forward position. The need to lift the seat or a portion of the seat can be burdensome and inconvenient. Although various devices, such as spring and cable configurations, and semi-automatic or full automatic powered actuators, can be used to assist an occupant as he or she lifts a portion of the seat, these devices can be complicated and add unnecessary weight and cost. This seating configuration also stores the seat cushion and the seat back behind the front seat, which reduces the ingress/egress area by the thicknesses of the seat back and the seat cushion.
Other seats are configured in such a way that the backrest can be pivoted or rotated forward, and then the seat slid forward to provide access to the area behind the seat. Although the movement of these seats helps to improve access to the area behind the seat, the access is still relatively obstructed due to the limited extent to which the seat can normally be moved forward and out of the way.
Many conventional seats are configured to move between two positions or configurations, a seating or design position and a storage position. Often times, however, the storage position to which the seats are configured to move may be convenient for accommodating additional cargo, but not for providing access to a third row of seats or to the cargo area, or vice versa.
To provide a reliable, widely acceptable seating system or arrangement that better facilitates access to a rear cargo area or to an additional row of seating as well as the effective use of a cargo area, and which avoids one or more of the noted and other problems would represent a significant advance in the art.